One week after wildfires exploded across Southern California, the largest blaze in Ventura County was contained late Saturday, the two fires in San Diego County were expected to be under control by Monday, and Big Bear area residents might be able to return home today.
"We deserved a break from Mother Nature, and we finally got one," said Bill Peters of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, almost euphoric over the inch of rain that fell on the Simi fire Friday night.
Rain and even a dusting of snow all but stopped the relentless march of flames from six fires that have left 20 dead, consumed 690,967 acres and destroyed 3,346 homes since Oct. 24.
Fire officials also were optimistic because there were few flames in the San Bernardino Mountains, even though plumes of smoke continued to rise and tree trunks smoldered. The outlook was so promising that about 200 fire engines and 700 firefighters were sent home and the evacuation order for residents of the Big Bear area was expected to be lifted at 8 a.m. today.
Firefighters said the weather had been the turning point, as it often is in such big blazes. And the National Weather Service's forecast for this week calls for cooler temperatures.
Ventura County Fire Chief Bob Roper said the change in the weather had been critical in finally containing the 116,984-acre Simi/Val Verde fire Saturday evening.
"The whole north end of the fire was in rugged terrain, and we didn't have any resources to send, or it would have been weeks before we did. It now has a snow blanket on it," he said. "The sad thing is that ... after a firefighter dies and hundreds of homes burn, the weather can change so dramatically. Why didn't it do this two days before?"
Even as the flames died down in San Diego County, the controversy over the initial responses to the Cedar and Paradise fires was growing. More than 338,000 acres were burned and 16 died in those blazes.
Voicing a sentiment that is becoming common among politicians reviewing how agencies responded, an unsmiling Rep. Randall "Duke" Cunningham (R-San Diego) said firmly in an interview, "Changes will be made."
One already had. On Saturday, two CH-53 Super Stallion helicopters from the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar dropped water on the Paradise fire in the Valley Center area. It was the first time military equipment had been permitted to fight the fire because of state Forestry Department training rules.
